Why it matters
The producer
Dunn Vineyards is based in Angwin on Howell Mountain and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon. Its work joins low vigor mountain vineyards with a cave cellar cut directly into Howell Mountain. Shallow soils reduce yields, while the underground cellar was built to address evaporative loss during ageing.
Randy Dunn worked at Caymus Vineyards from 1975 to 1985. Ted Kizor assumed cellar duties in 2020 and became Dunn Vineyards' official winemaker in 2023. Lily Mirabelle Freedman joined as general manager that year, becoming the first non-family member to oversee the operation. Kizor leads the cellar, while Freedman oversees the wider operation.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Angwin sits on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Dunn uses the mountain name and the valley name on separate Cabernet Sauvignon wines, giving the range two geographic frames. The Howell Mountain bottle is tied to the mountain vineyards, while the Napa Valley bottle includes fruit from Howell Mountain and Coombsville.
Howell Mountain's shallow soils produce yields averaging half those of the valley floor. Low vigor limits the crop, and the mountain wines carry firm tannin and acidity associated with the site. The 2021 Howell Mountain Cabernet finishes with a dry, chalky character in one independent assessment.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Dunn has used organic practices to manage pests and disease since 2016. The farming program now includes cover crops, regenerative agriculture and off-season sheep grazing, with the sheep eating the grass and leaving natural organic compost.
In 1989, caves were dug directly into Howell Mountain in response to Randy Dunn's struggles with evaporative loss. The caves cover 6,000 square feet and maintain 56°F and 98% humidity year round. A cool, humid cellar slows evaporation and keeps barrel ageing more stable.
Wines to know
The range in view
The core range consists of two Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The Howell Mountain bottling is made from fruit Dunn farms in its own Howell Mountain vineyards. The Napa Valley bottling combines Howell Mountain and Coombsville fruit. Both are described as 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The two wines differ through fruit source and appellation framing. Across the range, the Napa Valley Cabernet generally has softer tannins, while the Howell Mountain Cabernet has more robust tannins and more intense fruit.